 Current Patch |
History of the 94 th Fighter Squadron"The HAT IN THE RING GANG " |
 WW2 Patch |
The 94th fighter Squadron is rich in history and tradition with origins
tracing back to World War I. The squadron was officially activated at
Kelly Field, Texas, on 20 August 1917, as the 94th Aero Squadron. On 30
September 1917, two officers and 150 enlisted men left Texas for France
and were sent to seven different aircraft factories for maintenance and
repair training. In April 1918, the 94th was reunited and stationed at the
Gencoult Aerodrome in Toul, France, where it began operations as the first
American squadron at the front. On 14 April, Lt. Campbell, who later
became America's first Ace, and Lt. Alan Winslow downed two German
aircraft. These were the first victories ever scored by an American unit.
Through the end of the war in November 1918, the "Hat in the Ring"
insignia remained synonymous with unparalleled success. No 94th pilot
typified this success 
more than 1 Lt. Edward V. Rickenbacker, the "Ace of
Aces." In the Nieuport 28 and later in the Spad XIII, Lt. Rickenbacker was
credited with 26 of the squadron's 70 kills, an accomplishment
unparalleled by any other American airman. By the end of hostilities, the
94th had won battle honors for participation in 11 major engagements and
was awarded the Croix-de-Guerre with Palm.
The squadron returned home in the spring of 1919, and after several moves, the 94th settled at Selfridge Field, Michigan in July 1922. In 1923, the Spads were re-designated the 94th Pursuit Squadron. The squadron stayed in Michigan for the remainder of the inter-war years, training in its pursuit role. The Spads flew 17 different aircraft during this period culminating with the P-38 Lightning. One week after Pearl Harbor, the 94th moved to San Diego Naval Air Station. Expecting to see action in the Pacific, the squadron instead received orders for Europe. In the summer of 1942, the 94th self-deployed to England via Labrador, Greenland and Iceland. This marked the first time that a fighter unit flew its own aircraft to Europe from the United States.
In November 1942, the newly re-designated 94th Fighter Squadron went back to war. Based in Africa for 2 years, the 94th again distinguished itself in combat by winning two Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations, most notably as part of the raids on the oil fields at Ploesti, Romania in August 1943. In addition, the squadron won 12 Battle Participation credits, including almost every major offensive campaign in North Africa and Europe. It was credited with 124 official kills. In one raid alone, the 94th, while working with the other two squadrons of the 1st Pursuit Group, destroyed 88 aircraft in a battle over Italy. The 94th produced a total of six aces in WW II.
After the war, the 94th trained in the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, America's first operational jet fighter and was stationed at March AFB, California. In July 1950, we became the 94th Fighter Intercept Squadron (FIS) and were eventually assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC). After the P-80, the squadron flew several aircraft in the interceptor role, including the F-86, F-102 and F-106. In 1956, the 94th won the Worldwide Rocket Firing Meet held at Vincent AFB, Arizona. In the 1960's, the unit proved its readiness when it was among the first units sent to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. The squadron carried out combat patrol missions off the coast of Florida, setting a record for F-106 hours and sorties. During the 1960's, the 94th, along with other ADC units, maintained an alert force in Alaska. With its supersonic F-106's, the squadron intercepted Russian bombers on missions over the Bering Sea. Then, in June 1969, with tensions mounting in regards to the Pueblo Incident and the downing of an EC-121 by North Korea, the squadron deployed to Osan AB, South Korea for 6 months. On 1 July 1971, the 94th moved to MacDill AFB, Florida, as part of a realignment of the original First Pursuit Group. The squadron was designated the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron, reassigned to Tactical Air Command, and reunited with the 27th and 71st squadrons under the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing flying the F-4E. The 94th assumed the duties of a Replacement Training Unit (RTU), providing F-4 aircrews for operational combat squadrons.
In 1975, the 1st TFW moved to Langley AFB, Virginia and began flying the F-15 Eagle. The squadron became combat-ready in early 1977. In September 1992, the squadron was renamed the 94th Fighter Squadron. Since then, the squadron has flown in countless training exercises here and abroad that keep us prepared for combat. The majority of our contingency taskings have been to the Middle East, with trips to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Sudan. In addition, the Spads have deployed annually to Keflavik, Iceland, to conduct air defense operations. In the summer of 2000, the 94th conducted simultaneous operations in Turkey, Iceland and at Langley AFB as part of Air Expeditionary Force 8.
The Fighting Spads stand today as a cohesive, combat-experienced team ready for the call to combat. In the spirit of Rickenbacker, we are prepared to go anywhere on the planet, anytime our nation calls day or night, and provide world-class air superiority. Count on the Spads to be the first to toss our "Hat in the Ring."